Talisay accident involving drunk driver prompts call anew not to drive when intoxicated

A ‘drunk’ motorcycle driver figured in an accident after this hit to a vehicle while traversing the Cebu South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong in Talisay City around 4 a.m. on Saturday, February 11. CT-TODA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Don’t drive if you are drunk.”

Jonathan Tumulak, chief of the City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development (CT-TODA), made this firm reminder anew after a man, who was allegedly drunk, figured in an accident while traversing a road in Barangay Cansojong in Talisay City at past 4 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023.

“Dili mokompyansa pagdrive kung nakainum, bisan pa man og mopasalig ang driver nga kaya pa niya ang pagdrive bisan nakainum. Dili gihapun na garantiya nga makauli ka nga safe… Always remember sa mga driver, violation ang pagdrive nga makainum or under the influence of liquor,” Tumulak said.

(Don’t take the risk of driving when intoxicated, even if the driver will assure you that he can still drive while he is drunk. It is not a guarantee that he can return home safe…drivers should always remember that it is a violation to drive under the influence of liquor.)

Under the law, if a driver is found to have been driving drunk, he or she will face the penalty of three months imprisonment, and a fine ranging from P20,000.00 to P80,000.00 if the violation did not result in physical injuries or homicide.

According to Tumulak, the motorcycle driver, whom police identified as Peter Ebarbia, 24, counterflowed from the traffic while traversing the Cebu South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong in Talisay City at that time.

As a result, he collided with an incoming vehicle, a Toyota Avanza, which was heading north. Police identified the driver as Manuel Cabatuan, a resident of Toledo City.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Caballes, chief of Talisay City Police Station, said that investigation showed that Ebarbia claimed that he dozed off, overshot his lane into Cabatuan’s lane, and counterflowed from traffic. 

Cabatuan reportedly tried to avoid Ebarbia, but since the latter was driving at high speed, the former collided with Ebarbia’s motorcycle, the latter hitting the car at its side.

Ebarbia suffered minor injuries on his body due to the accident. 

Caballes said that the motorcycle driver, however, admitted to the responding traffic policeman that he was under the influence of liquor, and he had just come from a drinking spree.

Ebarbia also admitted to the policemen that the accident was his fault.

Both parties, however, agreed to settle amicably provided that Ebarbia would shoulder the expenses for the repari of Cabatuan’s car.

Caballes also said that both drivers might have settled amicably, but the responding traffic policeman had issued a traffic citation ticket for reckless driving to Ebarbia.

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